Let's Get You Ovulating
Many women come to me because they aren’t getting their period. Often they have just come off hormonal birth control or have had a long history of erratic and absent cycles. In my New York City naturopathic practice, the goal is not to get these women to “bleed” but to ovulate. Bleeding without ovulation is just breakthrough bleeding and any hormonal birth control pill achieve this. In a woman who ovulates, menstruation occurs 12-16 days after ovulation as a result of the natural decline of progesterone and estrogen when a pregnancy does not occur. Breakthrough bleeding on the other hand occurs typically when the uterine lining builds up sufficiently due to estrogen but no progesterone comes in to support it. The lack of progesterone is because it is ovulation that triggers its production. If your cycle was shorter than 21 days or your period was longer than 7 days, you probably didn’t ovulate. Now let’s see if you are ovulating and if you’re not what naturopathic medicine can do about it.
Why You want to be ovulating?
I know what you are thinking “to get pregnant, of course silly?” Yes but even if you aren’t looking to start a family any time soon there are other reason why you will want to be ovulating. When we ovulate our bodies produce the proper ratios of estrogen and progesterone. When these hormones are in balance we have more manageable, predictable periods and less cramping, heavy bleeding and PMS symptoms. This is because ovulation triggers the production of progesterone balancing out estrogen and decreasing estrogen dominance. If that was not enough reason, this extra dose of progesterone reduces inflammation, regulates immune function, and supports thyroid, brain, bones, and breast tissue. On the beauty side, ovulation ensures healthy levels of estrogen and progesterone to support the growth of lush hair and to increase blood flow to the blood vessels in your face producing a natural blush glow.
How do you know you are ovulating?
No need to run to the drug store as I’m not suggesting ovulation predictor kit. Though you will need to buy a reliable thermometer. My goto method with my patients is the Fertility Awareness method which uses 2 factors and 1 optional additional factor to gauge whether you are ovulating. Basal body temperature, cervical fluid and if you like cervical size. For basal body temperature, you take and record your temperature relatively at the same time every morning. If it stays higher than baseline for more than 18 days without a period, then congratulations you are most likely pregnant. The temperature will drop down again right before your period if you are not pregnant. For women not wanting to get pregnant, the 3-5 days prior to ovulation you will want to either abstain from sex or use barrier methods. To assess cervical fluid you can simply observe vaginal discharge in your underwear or better feeling inside with your finger. The fluid will either be dry, sticky, creamy, and egg white slippery. The days leading to ovulation will have the egg white consistency and maybe even be stringy between your fingers. After ovulation the fluid becomes sticky and then dry. For women trying to get pregnant this is a great time for sex. If you are not experience consecutive days of increased temperature rise and egg white texture cervical fluid you most likely aren’t ovulating.
What to do if you’re not?
The occasional anovulatory cycle is normal. Too much stress, international travel, dramatic change in diet or exercise can all contribute to lack of ovulation from time to time. But if your periods are all over the place then anovulation could be to blame especially. Of course hormonal birth control chemical prevents ovulation but if you’re not on birth control there are two main reasons why you might not be ovulating: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and hypothalamic amenorrhea. In PCOS, lack of ovulation is due to insulin resistance and/or adrenal androgen excess. On the other side of the same coin, women with hypothalamic amenorrhea don’t ovulate because they are not taking in enough fuel especially carbohydrates that their bodies need. Lack of ovulation in this case is an adaptive response to an insufficient food supply. The best approach is a combination of dietary and lifestyle changes with nutrients and female balancing herbs to support a return to ovulation and healthy periods.
Want to get your period back naturally without the pill? Then schedule a naturopathic appointment with Dr Ivy.
Naturopathic Doctor, Dr Ivy Branin discusses key female hormone balancing herbs for ovulation and fertility. Click here to get started on your fertility journey.